The long-awaited debut solo single from CANDLEMASS/ SPIRITUAL BEGGARS/ OPETH /KAMCHATKA man, Per Wiberg, is released. The single is taken from Per’s upcoming solo album ‘Head Without Eyes’, coming out on May 10th via Despotz Records.

The multi-talented Swede has been working on his upcoming solo debut ‘Head Without Eyes’ for some time now, and “Get Your Boots On” is the swaggering first track to be released. Stream it below:

“Get Your Boots On turned into more of a traditional rock song than what was originally intended but I’m really happy with how it came out. It’s a catchy song, shorter than the rest but I’d like to think it gives the whole album more dynamics and a good balance between the dark, doomy and more adventurous stuff on there. I already had the words so this was the only song where the music was written after the lyrics. I was aiming for a Killing Joke/Hawkwind vibe on the drums for this one and Lars Sköld (Tiamat) gave the song some great energy that shines through Jonas Kjellgrens attentive mix. Enjoy!” – Per Wiberg

The term heavy can be applied to many different music genres and in many different contexts. Swedish musician Per Wiberg, has made a living out of playing most things heavy the last 30+ years. A multi-instrumentalist who has played keys, bass and guitars with a number of bands and artists like Opeth, Spiritual Beggars, Candlemass as well as Clutch/Bakerton Group, Switchblade and Kamchatka to name but a few…

Head Without Eyes is the result of an urge to constantly move forward artistically. Combine this, with a lifetime of music addiction and record collecting and you’ll get an amalgam of catchy hooks and memorable melodies layered on top of trippy sounds exploring the more experimental sides of rock music. Impossible to categorize but let’s paint the scene. Imagine, if you will, having afternoon tea with Killing Joke and Van Der Graaf Generator, followed by a smokeout in the company of Hawkwind and Young Gods, while later being invited for a night cap with Talk Talk and Swans. Are you with us? There’s a dense doomy, sometimes dissonant vibe to the songs and together with the melodic parts it creates an interesting sense of dynamics. This is underlined by the surreal landscapes portrayed by the sometimes sinister lyrics.

”The challenge for me and something that I really wanted, was to keep things within the so called ‘pop format’ with a verse and a chorus part, also on the longer songs. The majority of the music I’ve played in my life has been based on guitar riffs. But with this, I wanted to focus on moods and let the lyrics set the tone. Kind of a singer songwriter vibe but instead of using the traditional Americana backdrop I worked with using field recordings and noisy parts in the songs, as well as some quirky arrangement ideas to give it more of a cinematic feel. I’ve always liked the yin & yangs in music, to have a very defined melody on top of something atonal or dissonant. It creates a lot of tension and in this case it’s the thread that runs through the album. This shaped the lyrics as well, as they all deal with the fear of leaving, or the fear of being left in different contexts. Little stories with a nihilistic tone…”​

Per handles all instruments and vocals with the exception of drums which are played by Karl Daniel Lidén (Crippled Black Phoenix, Katatonia, Switchblade, Karl who also mixed 3 songs) and Lars Sköld (Tiamat, Avatarium). Billie Lindahl (Promise And The Monster) lends her ethereal voice to ‘Anywhere The Blood Flows’ & ‘Pile Of Nothing’.​

”Asking Karl Daniel Lidén to mix the 3 songs he plays drums on was an easy choice as we share a lot of common ground when it comes to influences and sound references. Drums for the other 3 songs were recorded at Black Lounge Studios by Jonas Kjellgren and it was natural that he’d mix those tracks. Both guys are good company, very creative and always manage to bring something extra to the table which made the whole mixing process seem effortless to me. All other instruments and vocals I recorded at my rehearsal space during 2016 – 2017”​

With “Head Without Eyes”, Per has created a new platform to write and perform music that moves between discordant to harmonic; sparse to bombastic. Also when listening to these songs, one can’t help but notice how mature it sounds for being a debut album, but then again, if you mean what you play, you can never go wrong.

‘Head Without Eyes’ -track list
Let the Water take Me Home
Anywhere the Blood Flows
Pass on the Fear
Get Your Boots On
Pile of Nothing / Fader